Trying to Be Perfect
by Saylin
Summary: It was all she ever knew...perfection. That was all she thought she would ever be until a car crash almost killed her and helped her find love.
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: Enjoy To my other readers this took a really long time to come back from my beta so sorry! But I am currently updating Strange Love and My Immortal. Your patience is appreciated!**

Chapter 1

The Sensei of dojo watched a young girl practice with sadness. She was perfect; one could barely see the blades she was swinging around with practice ease. The targets coming at her didn't stand a chance and he knew that she could face people as well. She had along ago surpassed him in her skill. But she still wasn't ready to leave, that was why he had kept her here as long as he had. She wasn't ready to accept the fact that there was a real world out, that there was more to life than just than being perfect on the outside. He signaled for her to stop and to put down the broadswords down and move on to the Sais.

The sand bags flew at her at a speed that with any of his other students just would have been knocked out. But she just sliced them open and moved on. When the course was done she turned to look at the Sensei. He looked back at her and sighed. She wasn't even tired. God what was he going to do with her.

"You can go home now if you like. I understand that today is your birthday. I have a small gift for you if you would like." He evenly, not gives anything away. She looked completely shocked, as if she had forgotten her own birthday.

"Oh, Sensei you didn't have to do that. It's only a birthday they come every year. You know so they're really no big deal." Cadence finished lamely. She couldn't believe that someone had remembered her birthday. Her so-called friends and family hadn't, neither had her suppose boyfriend. But that really wasn't Dave's fault because of all the stress he was under, due wrestling tournament coming up. I mean who could blame him for forgetting something as trivial as a birthday when you were an all-state wrestler with you title being challenged. That was it she didn't blame him, but Mary-sue and Linda should have remembered they were her best friends. But maybe they were planning her surprise party! Yes that was it; they were planning a surprise party. Perhaps even Dave was in on it!

No, they weren't, Mary Sue and Linda couldn't keep a secret if their life depended on it. Oh well it had been a nice thought. She finished drying her hair and put on her clothes and looked at her reflection in the mirror. A very well put together young woman looked back at her. She wore a knee length coal-grey pleated skirt, white v-neck short sleeved tee-shirt, oink cardigan with a pink sequined flower appliqué on the right shoulder. Her hair was perfectly in place with a pink ribbon that held back all her hair except her side swept bangs, and in her feet were sensible but cute black satin ballet flats.

The image of propriety and perfection stared back at her. The person staring back at her was girl who she had no idea of who she was. Well she had to go say good-bye to the Sensei. She walked out of the changing room and found the Sensei was in the same exact spot as when as when she had left except he had left at some point because he had a package resting next to him. He gestured for her to come next to the platform. She moved forward shocked that he had not only remembered her birthday, but had also he gotten her a present. He wordlessly handed her the present and after unwrapping she found a rather large jewelry box made of rose and sandal wood. It had a little gold key hole with a white tasseled key hanging form the lock.

To say the least Cadence was shocked. She looked at him at a loss for words. She just held it on her lap her hands sliding over the silken smooth sides. She looked at him and he just smiled.

"Open it." It was a suggestion not a command. So she twisted the little gold key and lifted the lid,and to her surprise a bottom drawer slid out to accompany the middle and top ones. It was lined with white velvet. But that wasn't what shocked her it was filled with jewelry. There wasn't a lot of it but there was enough to fill most of compartments sparingly. There were four necklaces, five bracelets two chokers, and 10 rings. Tears began to leak slowly from her eyes. She couldn't believe it. She looked up at the Sensei. And he smiled down warmly at her before offering her an explanation.

"My wife and I started putting this together for our daughter the day they she was born. We were going to give it her on her 18th birthday, but sadly my wife and daughter both departed this world after only 7 years happiness." He paused lost briefly in memories before he continued. "You started training with me when you were very young and I have been with you for all the major events in your life, the day your father died, your first competition and your first and last B-. I have come to regard you as the daughter that I never had." So that is why I found it fitting to bestow upon you this gift. One that was meant for my daughter. Now that we have that out of the way I want you to have these." He held out a brand new weapons bag full of new and old weapons.

"I want you to have these for your competition." Needless to Cadence was shocked once again into silence.

"Sensei I can't accept theses on top of the jewelry box." She managed to get out.

"These are not a gift, you're a bit worse for wear these days so you going to use these ones that are in top condition while I work on getting your's back up to par." To emphasize his point he bent down and reached into her gym bag a pulled out a sword that had a handle padded with duct tape. He raised an eyebrow and she smiled sheepishly. She hugged him and took him completely off guard. He hugged her back and sent her home.

"Karen, I'm home." As per usual she walked into the house ignored by the other inhabitants. But was met in the kitchen by her step-mother, she was waiting at the counter with a huge box next to her.

"Your father's lawyer dropped this by for you. Said it was sealed and confidential." With that Karen walked out of the room. The day was full of surprises. She pulled one the daggers from her new stash and slit the tape that kept the lid sealed to the box. Inside was two little velvet boxes and a stack of letters that her father must have written when he had gotten sick. She took out the little velvet boxes on contained two rings: one silver and set with a beautiful garnet, the other was a plain silver wedding band that was too dainty to have been her father's. It was two hands holding one heart with a crown above it. She remembered seeing her father wear this on a chain around his neck so she assumed that it must be her birth mother's wedding band. She closed the box and picked up the other one. It contained a little silver heart, it was a locket. Removing it from its soft cushion she opened it to reveal her father's handsome face and one she thought she would never see.

It was the face of her birth mother. She was beautiful, and oh so young. Cadence looked into the face of the woman who had given her life and never gotten to see her grow up. She had the same slanted blue-gray eyes, same golden blondish-brown hair and the same face over all. The woman could have been her twin. She couldn't believe it. Her mother, her real honest to god mother not Karen her father's attempt at a mother but her biological mother. The person from whose blood she had came. Cadence sat there for a very long time simply staring at the little photo. She hung it around her neck. Smiling she opened the first letter.

_My Dearest Cady,_

_If you're reading this then it means my heart finally gave out, I'm sorry I wasn't stronger for you but we'll get to that later. I can't believe my baby is eighteen today, all legal and every thing. I want you to know that no matter where you are in life I am very proud of you and I love you. It's time you learned a little about your mother, not Karen but your real mother. Her name was Melody and we met in collage. We were both straight out of high school and love hit us both like a bus. We got married when she was 19 and I was 20. By the time she was 20 you were on the way and neither of us could been happier. Your mother loved you from the instant she found out you existed. She loved you so much she spent hours buying baby clothes, nursery items and other baby things. Melody was very young to be a mother according to her doctors though she was almost 21, but they warned her that birth would be difficult. But she didn't care; she said that she loved you too much to not give you a chance of life even if t took hers in turn. The day you decided to come into the world was on her birthday. We were both so excited; you came into the world awake and quiet. You never screamed once. The doctors and nurses agreed that you were the prettiest baby they had seen in a long time. Melody loved you on sight as did I. She named you Cadence, because of her affinity for music and prayed that you inherited that from her. Melody had a heart condition that neither her doctors nor I knew about. Her heart in the end was just too big and over worked. She never told me and died before you were 3 months old. She collapsed while making breakfast and cried because she knew it was the end. She held you and I held her as she died and she apologized to you and me for not being stronger. I tell you this not to sadden you or to burden you heart. But to let you know that no matter how much you love someone they can be gone in an instant. So cherish your life and live life to the fullest. And also when you find love cherish each and everyday as though it was new and never forget how quickly you can loose it. _

_Love you forever and beyond,_

_Daddy_

_P.s._

_Never forget how much your mother and I love you and how proud I am of you._

Tears were falling down Cadence's face; she had always known that Karen wasn't her real mother. But to know that she as the cause of her real mother's death was too much. She went upstairs carrying the new bag with her she began to pack the instant she was in her room. The mindless task of packing kept her from completely breaking down. When she was finally done she realized that she had packed the jewelry box that the sensei had given her along with the letters and things from her father. Then she was ready to go. She went down stairs to say good-bye to Karen.  
"Karen, I'm leaving now" she called from the kitchen door but to her surprise the 5'3, 110 pound woman came and hugged her. She stood there stiff as a board from surprise; she got her senses back and hugged the little blonde back.

"Alright, I thought you might need that after getting something from your father. Now you're going to upstate New York for your martial arts competition. And you're staying with your friend Trish for the rest of the weekend. Well everything seems to be in order." See you on Sunday night." With that the little blonde walked out of the room.

The last thing Cadence did was take Maggie out her cage and put on her leash. She then put the little cocker spaniel in her carrier bag and walked with her out to the car. She stuck the bag with her clothes weapons and for some the jewelry box in the back seat and Maggie in the front seat with her. She slipped into the front seat and pulled out the drive way. She drove until it was dark, then stopped at little roadside restaurant to eat and walk Maggie. Once back on the road she drove for about another hour when she saw the sign for the Bumble family farm, she turned down the dirt road and it started to rain.

Trish had warned her about the road in the rain and it starting to rain cats and dogs. She just kept driving until she hit a log immersed in the mud and her car went spinning out of control and all she could do was scream.

When the car finally stopped spinning she was in the woods that boarded either side of the road. She checked herself for injuries then looked around for Maggie. The little dog's bag had fallen on the ground and she climbed back onto the seat looking punch drunk. She smiled at the little dog and reached down for the carrier bag and put her back in and zipped it all the way. The little dog looked out at her woefully from the little mesh screen in the bag. She was about to get out of the car and survey the damage when she realized what she was wearing. The same pink cardigan and skirt that she had been wearing when she left the dojo. She would have to change. She slithered into the back seat and pulled out a blue camisole, black hoody, jeans and socks and sneakers. She threw her previous outfit in the bag and carefully slid out the door. Then car was on the edge of a small ravine. It had stopped by slamming into two very conveniently spaced trees. The car was wedged and smoking so she reached in to the front seat grabbed her gym and slung it over her shoulder so that it lay across her body. Then she opened the driver's door and grabbed Maggie's bag and started to creep down the rocky slope until she caught her foot on a root that sent her careening head over heels down the slope. Cadence threw the dog bag away from her so the bag slid down the slope next to her. She was thrown down the last two feet of the slope and landed hard on her back with wind knocked out of her. She was quickly losing consciousness she took a quick inventory of her injuries: her ankle was either broken or severly sprained and she had a pretty good concussion. Her last thought before blacking out was: 'I hope Maggie is okay'

Three hooded men on horseback came upon young girl unconscious by the roadside. The leader put his hand up to signal for the others to stop. He swept down from his horse walked quickly over to the fallen girl. The man pulled back his hood to reveal a very handsome face, angled blue eyes and framed by white-blond hair, his two companions looked similar but not the same. He reached out his to touch the young girl's cheek. Then stood up and looked at her from above. Her body was bent oddly over the huge bag that she had hung across her body. Her foot was also at an odd angle from her body. She looked like she has fell down the hill in last night's rainstorm. But why would she try to climb down such a steep incline in the mud. Maybe she had been lost and simply fell. He heard a small whimpering coming from as few feet away. He discovered a moving bag in the brush beside the incline, fearing sorcery he took out his dagger and unzipped the bag. Out leaped a small furry brown blur as it took off towards the girl, he chased after it.

The blur turned out to be a small brown dog with overly large ears. It was lying protectively on the girl's chest and growled when he or his companions tried to approach. When they backed off the little dog got up and circled her master until she was near her face. She put her nose to the girl's cheek and nudged gently when she got not response she licked the girl's face. When the girl still remained unresponsive the dog threw its head back and gave a pitiful howl.

He wondered if that meant that the girl was dead, surely after a fall like that it was entirely possible. He went towards the girl once more but his hand out for the dog to sniff it did timidly then licked it. Smiling he pet the little dog, he reaches out for the girl and found a pulse weak but definitely there. He picked her up carefully sliding her out of the bag then carried her bridal style to his horse. He handed her Ophenion before climbing on his mount once in position on he reached for the girl and held her close to his chest. The small brown dog was whining from separation from its mistress.

"Ophenion, take her baggage." He looked at the bag and hope Ophenion could ride with it. "Arclre, take the dog and put it back in the bag I found her we will take them to Rivendell with us."

"My lord are you sure that is wise?" asked Ophenion.

Yes it is what must be done." Clutching the dieing girl to his chest the rode and he prayed to the Valar that they made it Rivendell in time.

**A/n: Woo…. That was a long one. Probably my longest first chapter ever. Any way I hoped you enjoyed it! Read, Review and Enjoy! Criticism of all kinds is welcome! Love, Saylin**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: The _Italics_ mean that the trio is speaking in Elven. Thank you for reading and enjoy.**

Chapter 2

Legolas rode along with the girl clutched to his chest. She wasn't soft as women were supposed to be, she was hard with muscle yet soft in all the right places at the right time. She must be the daughter or wife of a farmer that was the only way of he could think of how she got to be so firm. She was so tiny yet undoubtedly tall for a woman of men. It getting dark and this angered him he was hoping to reach Rivendell before nightfall. He held up his hand.

_"We camp tonight and continue on in the morning. Ophenion ride into the brush and see if you can find a clearing for us to camp in also make sure you can't see it from the road."_ Ophenion nodded his head in acceptance to the command handed the bag to Arclre, and headed in to the brush. He came back minutes later and motioned for the prince and Arclre to follow. They came to a small clearing; Legolas for Ophenion to came take the girl so he could slide off the horse.

For some reason Legolas didn't like the sight of Ophenion holding the girl in his arms without thinking he whipped off his cloak and spread it on the ground.

_"Put up my tent around her. You and I can share a tent for one night."_ He said to Arclre. Who merely nodded and headed off to do the task. Legolas took one more look at the girl on the ground before sitting down to start a fire.

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Cadence's eye snapped open and immediately regretted it. She had a splitting headache. She was in a tent of some sort, and she was lying on somebody's cloak. 'Wait cloak who the hell wore cloaks any more.' That didn't matter she raised herself into a sitting position and tried to figure out what should to do next. Her bag with all her weapons was gone as well. She stuck her head out of the tent flap and looked to see how many there were and who they were. There were three of them and that sat hunched around the fire. She had expected three big guys wearing flannel and drinking beer around the campfire but instead she saw guys all with long platinum blonde hair that was pulled half back in the same exact braid on each of them.

Just her luck to get rescued by cult members, they might bring her back to their leader and brainwash her. Or they could just kill her. That was a distinct possibility. She saw that they had her bag with them because one of them was holding one of the short swords. She put her head back in the tent and decided that when the time was right she would bust out o the tent and run for her life. That was when she realized that at one point they had removed her sweatshirt, shoes, and her socks. Crap!

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Legolas started the fire and waited to for his companions to join him. Ophenion took the baggage and dropped it at his feet and gestured for him to open. Looking at him quizzically he took the bag.

Ophenion spoke "_Open it you'll be surprised. Her name is Cadence Monroe, according to this."_ With that he handed Legolas a small card that a picture of the girl with her name, height, weight and eye color.

"_Well that's informative. But I never have seen the likes of it have you?"_ Ophenion simply shook his head and nudged the bag once again with his booted foot. Legolas picked up the heavy bag and opened it. He removed the clothes and found something very surprising. Inside was a strange assortment of weapons, there long swords and short, there were daggers of all sizes, throwing knives in various sizes, there were also axes in all shapes, a couple of collapsible spears and bow and a quiver full of arrows. Legolas pulled out the bow it was huge and the string was taut and new. He pulled and was surprised to find that it was difficult not impossible.

At that moment Arclre emerged from the tent. He was holding various items of the girl's clothing.

"_What did you do?" _He yelled perhaps just a bit too harshly because Arclre flinched before he offered an explanation

"_Her clothing was soaking wet and muddy. If we get her to Rivendell in time to heal her I don't want her to go dieing from a fever afterwards." _Legolas looked his man in the eye and knew he was telling the truth. He nodded and Arclre proceeded to put the clothing on long stick so they hung close to the fire. When he sat down he took out a flask took a long drink then posed his question.

"_My Prince, you know I trust your judgment but I must ask you once more if bringing this girl with us is wise. I mean what if her people are out looking for her as we speak. We basically stole her." _Arclre older than Legolas and Ophenion was always worried about something. But he did have a point what if the girl's family could be out there somewhere looking for her. He put the weapons back in the bag and the clothes back on top of them he pulled the little tab that he assumed would close and put it behind him.

"_When she is healed we will return her to place where we found her. There is nothing more we can do for the present. Plus if we had left her there she would have died. Do you think it have been right to leave her there with only that little dog for protection?"_ Arclre looked ashamed and nodded his head in agreement, as did Ophenion.

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Cadence listened to them talking and couldn't understand a word of what was being said. She tried to stand and found her left leg wouldn't support her weight. She collapsed and let out a yelp of pain before she could control herself. She threw herself down, shut her eyes and lay very still. She heard one of the men stick his head in and look around. She never moved once a thud sounded near her feet and then whoever was in the tent with her left. She opened her eyes slowly and grimaced in pain she must have sprained her ankle. The thud by her head had been someone dropping her bag on the ground she could have laughed with relief. She opened and found the weapons on top of the clothes, so they had gone through it great she took a quick survey and found her bow gone. It had been the only weapon that belonged to her. That pissed her off. It was handmade by the Sensei for her thirteenth birthday.

Deciding not to dwell on that she went in the bag pulled out socks and the only other pair shoes she had brought with her. The black leather ballet flats she was about to put them on when she realized that she would have to wrap her ankle. She ripped about three feet off of the green cloak and it gave her a small amount of satisfaction. She wrapped her ankle as tightly as possible without losing circulation she put on the flats grabbed a broad sword out of the bag and swung across her body. She slowly crept out of the tent but immediately stepped on a twig the three men were instantly up and whirled around and surprised to see her there with a sword.

"My lady put the sword down before you hurt yourself." The one who spoke was holding her bow in his hand that just pissed her off more but she kept her face composed and stony.

"Yes my lady, please put it down?" They all were at least 6'3 and pretty much towered over her. Without warning the one hadn't said anything lunged out of nowhere at her with his sword drawn.

"Ophenion! No!" But it was too late because the girl had already reacted. She parried and thrusted with such skill that Ophenion was having trouble finding openings. She could possibly beat him; Arclre saw this to and took action. He grabbed the girl from behind and lifted her off the ground.

"My Lady, please stop this nonsense we mean you no harm. Please release the sword before you hurt yourself." He held her there not moving holding her about a foot above the ground. She bucked, kicked and flailed her legs she wouldn't let go of her so she punched Arclre in testicles and he dropped her like a sack of flour. Bent over double in pain, Legolas had to admit that was the first time he had ever seen the old warrior bested and by a mere girl no less.

"Mean me no harm! Hah!" she kicked Arclre in the ribs and turned to face the other two. The one she crossed swords was out of breath and she probably knock him out with little or no effort. But the apparent leader would take some time and a good amount of energy, energy that she didn't have. Her ankle was throbbing and her head starting to hurt again. She decided her best option way to run.

"Wait there could be Orc in the forest." He yelled as the young girl called raced off into the forest. He told Ophenion to wait with Arclre until he was better then to follow. He prayed to the Valar that he got to her before the Orcs that roamed the forest did.

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Cadence had never been so scared or lost in her entire life. She leaned back against a huge tree trunk. She could hear one of them crashing through the woods right behind her. She had at least a minute before he caught up with her. She inwardly groaned in pain when she shifted her ankle. It was still hurting like a bitch and the bag was really heavy. Out of nowhere an arrow shot towards her head and it missed by inches she screamed without meaning to. The bastard had managed to circle around and aim at her while she was resting. He was clever but she was smarter. She was just about to move away from the tree when she was surrounded by a bunch of the ugliest creatures she had ever seen in her life.

There weren't words to describe them. They were grotesque in every sense of the word. They were gray skinned and looked like something out a Lord of the Ring movie. She brought up her sword and silently counted them. There were seven or eight of them all of them bigger than her. She would never be able to take them all down especially winded and hurt as she currently was. That when she noticed that one of them was holing a sort of cross bow it had been that one that had shot at her.

One of them spoke "Well, well it looks like the little girly wants to play. We should oblige pretty young girly shouldn't we? Cause we like it when they scream." It reached a hand out to touch her face, but an arrow struck it right in the eye. It clenched the trigger on the cross-bow and an arrow that was at least an inch in diameter launched out it and shot straight through her shoulder and anchored her to the tree.

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Legolas took off after the young girl she was every thing that a girl shouldn't be. He took a moment, found her trail and took off after her. He prayed that she didn't run into a group of Orcs. Though he knew that she could take care of her self she had to be tired and hurting. He had noticed that she had been favoring her left ankle. He remembered when he had found her on of them had been angled strangely. He was relieved to find out that it was just sprained and not broken. He heard an aggravated scream of surprise and fear coming from not that far ahead. He quickly veered off his path and climbed a rock to see what was going on.

The girl, Cadence was surrounded by a group of Orcs. An arrow was lodged an inch or so just above her head. The Orcs smiled nastily and one of them spoke to her and reached out its foul hand to touch her face. Legolas just snapped. He was still carrying her bow and without thinking he pulled an arrow from his own quiver, notched it and sent it flying right into the beast's eye.

But in the Orc's dying pain its hand flexed and pulled the trigger on the crossbow it held. The arrow went straight through the girl's shoulder and anchored her to the tree. He leapt from the tree he was in and landed nimbly between the Orcs and the girl. He heard a swish from behind him and turned to see her swinging her sword as best as she could that Orc who had just attacked her. He heard more footsteps and was relived to see that Arclre and Ophenion had joined them at last. They formed a half circle around the girl and didn't move until the last Orc had been killed.

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Cadence watched in awe as the blonde guy appeared out of nowhere and start killing the things. The other two joined them and they formed a protective circle around her. They must have seen them or faced them before because they dispatched them quickly. She felt her self surrendering to the pain she slumped slightly and that caused even more pain. She dropped her sword with a clang that caused them to turn to her.

The leader looked worried and he raised his sword and she thought it was the end. But he sliced off the end of the arrow and the last thing she knew before she was sliding into oblivion.

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Legolas reacted as soon as he heard her drop her sword. He sliced off the end of the arrow and gently pulled her away from the tree. She went limp instantly and he held her there not sure what to do.

"_My Lord, Arclre went to get your horse. You ride straight on to Rivendell and we'll pack up camp and be right behind you." _Ophenion said quickly and just after he finished speaking Arclre rode up on Legolas's horse. Legolas handed the girl to him once again and got up on his horse. Arclre handed the girl up to him slowly.

"_May the Valar be with you, My Prince." _Legolas nodded and rode off into the night.

Legolas arrived at Rivendell early the next morning. He called for help and slid off his horse still holding onto her. He carried her into Lord Elrond palace and waited for the master of the house to appear. Arwen appeared first.

"_My friend what has happened?" _She held a look of concern on her beautiful face.

"_We found her injured in the woods. We were bringing her here for help, but she panicked and ran away. She ran into a group of Orcs and she was shot through the shoulder. Please get your father she is fading."_ With that Arwen hurried away to get her father and Legolas scurried after her. The girl was getting heavier and he could feel her leaving. Lord Elrond appeared and wept the girl away.

Arwen re-appeared "_She'll be fine. She is in my father's care now. Are there any other injuries other than her shoulder?"_

"_Yes, her head has a nasty cut on the back of it and her ankle was badly sprained. But I fear she may have made it worse when she ran away. Oh and her name is Cadence Monroe." _With one last assurance that she would be fine Legolas left to go to get something to eat.

**A/N: That was really long, so I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review. Remember Criticism is welcome. So Read, Review, and Enjoy. Love, Saylin**


	3. Chapter 3

Hey Guys!!!

Thanx for all the awesome reviews!!!! The next chapter up in the next couple of days!!!! I promise!! No I really mean it this time!!

So thanx too all the loyal reviewers. And if you have any ideas of things you would like to see happen in the story let me know!! I'll try and incorporate it.

Love always!!!

And as always Read, Review, and Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

Saylin


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